Summary
Red Dead Redemptionstarted out as an ambitious spiritual successor to the lesser-knownRed Dead Revolver.It took theopen-world formatGrand Theft Autohas deployed so well to craft one of the most memorable experiences of the PS3/Xbox 360 generation. It was unrivaled in the western genre, and it took eight years to be bested, as the aptly-titledRed Dead Redemption 2expanded the setting, improved the visuals, and conjured a story that is one of the best the medium has to offer. It’s a marvel, and while a third game is strongly rumored, the fifth anniversary of the second is not something to forget.
Red Dead Redemption 2had a profound impact on gaming as well as Rockstar Games itself. It remains one of the few open-world offerings to truly move the needle, but it’s the characters within the setting where it shines brightest. Arthur Morgan and his outlaw associates are wonderfully developed, as their hopefulness turns into heart-breaking disappointment. Arthur Morgan is a tragic character, but his woes leave a mark on the player, and his story is one that still warrants an emotional response half a decade later.
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Arthur Morgan and John Marston are Two Sides of One Coin
The firstRed Dead Redemptiongame focused on John Marston, who spends much of that story desperately running from the life of crime he once knew. He’s an excellent character with an impressively deep story arc, having him fight against his nature as an outlaw with his past dragging him towards the darkness. Arthur Morgan isn’t a good man, but instead of peer pressure forcing him to do evil deeds, he shows signs of genuine, unforced, and positive change, realizing the extent of his negative actions and accepting that his life was lived on the wrong side of morality.
His allegiance is with the gang until his untimely end, even trying to protect it from its leader, Dutch, whenMicah Bellstarts to whisper in his ear. Arthur is loyal to more than a few faults, showing immense honor to those he called friends. Five years since the release ofRed Dead Redemption 2, and few games have conjured a protagonist as complex and interesting as Arthur Morgan. The finality of his fate in the 2018 game only adds to fans' love of him, as he can’t be corrupted by subsequent sequels trying to add to his legacy.
Arthur Morgan and the Wild West are Dying Together
By the time 1899 rolls around, the lawless west is in an obvious decline.The Van Der Linde Gangare eagerly anticipating one last score that would see them ride into the sunset to a poverty-free existence, as they know their way of life can’t continue forever. The industrial strides that can be seen in Saint Denis are a canary in the coal mine for something more civil, and there’s no place for those outside the law.
Arthur spends much ofRed Dead Redemption 2as Dutch’s fearless right-hand man, and the moment where he shows vulnerability at the train station in chapter six is one of the most satisfying and gut-wrenching payoffs in video game history. It closes a full circle for a character whose life has been littered with petty crime and operating only in his own opportunistic self-interests.Arthur Morgan is not a good man, andRed Dead Redemption 2doesn’t hide it, but seeing him meet his painful end knowing that his journey towards the light would go unfinished is a beautiful sentiment, and one that will linger in players' minds for the next five years and beyond.
Red Dead Redemption 2is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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